Daylily
by blackberry tart
Summary: Spinel is more observant than anyone gives him credit for. ExT


Daylily  
a CCS fanfic by hel  
...who, incidentally, does NOT own CCS, much as she might wish. Don't sue, unless you have a soul-deep need for some pocket lint and old blankets, for, alas, I am a poor college student and mean no harm.  
summary: Spinel is more observant than anyone gives him credit for. ExT

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He's a softie.

He would never admit it, of course, and far be it from me to give away his precious little secrets, but he's a sentimental fool at heart.

He played the mischievous teenager very well, as did he play the wise and all-knowing sorcerer, and the kind-but-firm father figure. He loved to scheme, loved to exert power, loved to surprise.

And loved in general.

He loved Sakura. How could he not? How could _anyone _ not, for that matter? But he loved her, like a father, like a friend, almost even like a lover. He took care of her, watched out for her best interests, always checked in on her. He never wanted her to be sad, and when she was, he'd do all he could to make her happy again. There was no doubt that he loved her greatly, although she remained almost entirely oblivious to his complete devotion to her.

But she was in love with Syaoran Li. They were great together; they were truly in love, and they completed each other. And he was happy for her. Honestly, he was; happy that she had found love, especially love so complete and true. He was happy in the way that fathers are happy to see their daughters get married, and in the way that friends are when they see their two closest friends getting together, even happy in the way that the unrequited lover is happy to see the object of their undying affection happy. But he was sad as well. Sad because he wouldn't be able to watch out for her anymore, sad that he wouldn't get to spend as much time with her, sad that he could never have a chance. He'd known that from the start, but it still hurt him to see it happen right in front of his eyes.

He'd left, then. They weren't truly together yet, but he could see it coming, as could everyone in the town. He didn't want to be present when they finally realized their feelings.

Kaho Mizuki had helped him, but she was not in love with him, nor he with her. They lived together for a time, and then she left. He was not glad to see her go, but she wasn't terribly missed.

Eventually, whether out of boredom or loneliness or something else entirely I'll never know, he moved us back to Tomoeda. And then it happened.

She had an effect on him like no one else. Every time she appeared around the corner, his heart would skip. Discreetly, so no one noticed, but it still skipped. And when she smiled, he would turn the slightest shade of pink.

He didn't even know what it was. Couldn't recognize the feeling in him, because he'd never really felt it before. With Sakura, it was different – she was a daughter, a close friend, and he loved her, but he wasn't really _in _ love with her. Not like this.

No, the dark-haired beauty that was haunting his dreams was something entirely new.

"Tomoyo." He's whispering in his sleep again. She is haunting him, filling his dreams with her dark and light magnificence, making his heart beat wildly, making his breath come short.

There she is, coming around the corner in front of our house. He is out in the garden again, tending to the irises that remind him so much of her. Taking cuttings to place on the kitchen table. Trimming the overgrown lavender that he never actually planted but that he can't bring himself to tear up, because it is the scent she wears. The daylilies in that particular shade of grayish lavender that matches her eyes. The plum tree, spreading its branches over the stone bench by the walk.

She sees him and stops. Feeling her eyes on him, he glances up, holding a small bouquet of daylily, iris, lavender, daisy. A faded sage-purple ribbon slips from his hand as he stares, enraptured, into her eyes. She looks at him with eyes that question, eyes that wonder, eyes that see straight through his disguises to his heart; she marvels at what she sees.

I can't wait to see what comes of this.


End file.
